Optical-scanning-type observation probe and optical-scanning-type observation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11484192-B2
Application number	US-201916516485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2019
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

An optical-scanning-type observation probe is provided with: an imaging optical system that illumination light scanned by an optical scanner enters and that focuses the illumination light in the form of a spot, multiple times; a projection optical system that emits illumination light coming from a focus position focused by the imaging optical system, toward a subject in the form of a spot; and a light-receiver that is provided independently of the imaging optical system and the projection optical system and that receives reflected light of the illumination light, the reflected light coming from the subject, via a light path different from that of the imaging optical system and the projection optical system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical-scanning-type observation probe comprising:
an imaging optical system that illumination light scanned by an optical scanner enters and that is configured to focus the illumination light in the form of a spot, multiple times;
a projection optical system that is configured to emit the illumination light coming from a focus position focused by the imaging optical system, toward a subject in the form of a spot; and
a light-receiver provided independently of the imaging optical system and the projection optical system,
wherein the light-receiver is configured to receive signal light produced in the subject through irradiation of the illumination light, via a light path different from that of the imaging optical system and the projection optical system.

2. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 1 , further comprising a correction optical system that is configured to correct inclination of a chief ray of the illumination light scanned by the optical scanner and entering the imaging optical system, with respect to the optical axis of the imaging optical system, so as to bring the chief ray close to parallel to the optical axis.

3. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 2 ,
wherein the imaging optical system is provided with a gradient index lens whose end face, from which the illumination light scanned by the optical scanner enters, is a convex face; and
the correction optical system is formed of the convex face of the gradient index lens.

4. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 2 ,
wherein the imaging optical system is constituted by:
a first imaging optical system that the illumination light scanned by the optical scanner enters, that corrects inclination of the chief ray of the illumination light so as to bring the chief ray close to parallel to the optical axis, and that emits the illumination light for which inclination of the chief ray has been corrected; and
a second imaging optical system that is disposed on an emission side of the first imaging optical system; and

the correction optical system is formed of the first imaging optical system.

5. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging optical system is constituted by a first imaging optical system and a second imaging optical system that is disposed on an emission side of the first imaging optical system; and
the first imaging optical system corrects aberration that occurs in at least one of the projection optical system and the second imaging optical system.

6. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging optical system is constituted by a first imaging optical system and a second imaging optical system that is disposed on an emission side of the first imaging optical system; and
the second imaging optical system has a lens diameter approximately equivalent to a lens diameter of the projection optical system and is integrated with the projection optical system.

7. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 1 , further comprising an aperture stop that is disposed in the vicinity of a pupil position of one of the imaging optical system and the projection optical system.

8. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least an emission-side part of the imaging optical system and the projection optical system are each formed of a gradient index lens; and
an emission-side end face of the gradient index lens that forms the imaging optical system and an incident-side end face of the gradient index lens that forms the projection optical system are combined with each other.

9. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 8 , wherein the combined faces of the gradient index lenses are disposed at a position different from a focus position of the illumination light focused by the imaging optical system.

10. An optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging optical system is constituted by a first imaging optical system and a second imaging optical system that is disposed on an emission side of the first imaging optical system; and
a lens surface of the second imaging optical system is disposed at a position different from a focus position of the illumination light focused by the first imaging optical system.

11. An optical-scanning-type observation device comprising:
a light source that is configured to produce illumination light;
an optical scanner that is configured to scan the illumination light emitted from the light source; and
an optical-scanning-type observation probe according to claim 1 .

12. An optical-scanning-type observation device according to claim 11 , wherein the optical scanner is provided with an optical fiber that is configured to guide the illumination light emitted from the light source and that emits the illumination light from a distal end thereof, and vibrates the optical fiber in radial directions of the optical fiber so as to satisfy the following expression (1):
h≤π×d×D ×NA′/4λ  (1),

where,
h is a half amplitude of a distal end of the optical fiber;
d is a mode field diameter of the optical fiber;
D is an entrance pupil diameter of the imaging optical system;
NA′ is a numerical aperture on an incident side of the imaging optical system; and
λ is a wavelength of the illumination light.

13. An optical-scanning-type observation device according to claim 11 , wherein the optical scanner is provided with a galvanometer mirror that is configured to scan the illumination light emitted from the light source, and swings the galvanometer mirror so as to satisfy the following expression (2):
tan(2α)≤ D ×NA′/ w   (2),

where,
α is half of the total swing angle of the galvanometer mirror;
w is a luminous flux diameter of the illumination light incident on the galvanometer mirror;
NA′ is a numerical aperture on an incident side of the imaging optical system; and
D is an entrance pupil diameter of the imaging optical system.

14. An optical-scanning-type observation device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the optical scanner has an emission end from which the illumination light is emitted toward the imaging optical system; and
the optical-scanning-type observation device further comprises an adjustment mechanism that is configured to adjust relative positions of the emission end of the optical scanner and the imaging optical system, in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the imaging optical system and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis thereof.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Shimamoto Atsuyoshi
• Nakajima Keiichiro
• Yamada Masashi
• Sakamoto Takamitsu
• Namiki Mitsuru
• Terashima Mikihiko

Classifications

• A61B1/07 Primary

  using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres · CPC title

• G02B26/103

  having movable or deformable optical fibres, light guides or waveguides as scanning elements (light guides per se G02B6/00) · CPC title

• G02B3/0087

  with index gradient · CPC title

• G02B23/26

  using light guides {(for illumination G02B23/2469)} · CPC title

• A61B1/00096

  Optical elements · CPC title